Clinical risk factors for preterm birth and evaluating maternal psychology in the postpartum period

BACKGROUND Although the specific pathogenesis of preterm birth(PTB)has not been thoroughly clarified,it is known to be related to various factors,such as pregnancy complications,maternal socioeconomic factors,lifestyle habits,reproductive history,environmental and psychological factors,prenatal care,and nutritional status.PTB has serious implications for newborns and families and is associated with high mortality and complications.Therefore,the prediction of PTB risk can facilitate early intervention and reduce its resultant adverse consequences.AIM To analyze the risk factors for PTB to establish a PTB risk prediction model and to assess postpartum anxiety and depression in mothers.METHODS A retrospective analysis of 648 consecutive parturients who delivered at Shenzhen Bao’an District Songgang People’s Hospital between January 2019 and January 2022 was performed.According to the diagnostic criteria for premature infants,the parturients were divided into a PTB group(n=60)and a full-term(FT)group(n=588).Puerperae were assessed by the Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)and Self rating Depression Scale(SDS),based on which the mothers with anxiety and depression symptoms were screened for further analysis.The factors affecting PTB were analyzed by univariate analysis,and the related risk factors were identified by logistic regression.RESULTS According to univariate analysis,the PTB group was older than the FT group,with a smaller weight change and greater proportions of women who underwent artificial insemination and had gestational diabetes mellitus(P<0.05).In addition,greater proportions of women with reproductive tract infections and greater white blood cell(WBC)counts(P<0.05),shorter cervical lengths in the second trimester and lower neutrophil percentages(P<0.001)were detected in the PTB group than in the FT group.The PTB group exhibited higher postpartum SAS and SDS scores than did the FT group(P<0.0001),with a higher number of mothers experiencing anxiety and depression(P<0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a greater maternal weight change,the presence of gestational diabetes mellitus,a shorter cervical length in the second trimester,a greater WBC count,and the presence of maternal anxiety and depression were risk factors for PTB(P<0.01).Moreover,the risk score of the FT group was lower than that of the PTB group,and the area under the curve of the risk score for predicting PTB was greater than 0.9.CONCLUSION This study highlights the complex interplay between postpartum anxiety and PTB,where maternal anxiety may be a potential risk factor for PTB,with PTB potentially increasing the incidence of postpartum anxiety in mothers.In addition,a greater maternal weight change,the presence of gestational diabetes mellitus,a shorter cervical length,a greater WBC count,and postpartum anxiety and depression were identified as risk factors for PTB.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine (8-OH-2dG) as a Biomarker of Oxidative Stress (OS) in the Acute Exacerbation of Spontaneous Preterm Birth (SPTB)

Spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) is characterized by the delivery of a baby before 37 completed weeks of gestation, and this condition is associated with significant health challenges for the newborn. Emerging evidence highlights the importance of biomarkers for understanding the mechanisms underlying SPTB. One such biomarker, 8-OH-2dG, plays a critical role in evaluating oxidative stress and its impact on pregnancy outcomes. It has been demonstrated that 8-OH-2dG is a product of oxidative DNA damage and is widely recognized as a key indicator of cellular oxidative stress. Elevated reactive oxygen species in SPTB result in higher levels of the DNA degradation product 8-OH-2dG in amniotic fluid, causing damage to maternal and fetal tissues that could lead to premature rupture of fetal membranes. Therefore, evaluating the role of 8-OH-2dG in SPTB is of great interest. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on 8-OH-2dG as a biomarker for SPTB and aims to elucidate its mechanism in this condition.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Cervical Tactile Ultrasound Technique as a Predictive Tool for Spontaneous Preterm Birth

Background: Premature cervical softening and shortening may be considered an early mechanical failure that predispose to preterm birth. Purpose: This study aims to explore the applicability of an innovative cervical tactile ultrasound approach for predicting spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Materials and Methods: Eligible participants were women with low-risk singleton pregnancies in their second trimester, enrolled in this prospective observational study. A Cervix Monitor (CM) device was designed with a vaginal probe comprising four tactile sensors and a single ultrasound transducer operating at 5 MHz. The probe enabled the application of controllable pressure to the external cervical surface, facilitating the acquisition of stress-strain data from both anterior and posterior cervical sectors. Gestational age at delivery was recorded and compared against cervical elasticity. Results: CM examination data were analyzed for 127 women at 240/7 - 286/7 gestational weeks. sPTB was observed in 6.3% of the cases. The preterm group exhibited a lower average cervical stress-to-strain ratio (elasticity) of 0.70 ± 0.26 kPa/mm compared to the term group’s 1.63 ± 0.65 kPa/mm with a p-value of 1.1 × 10−4. Diagnostic accuracy for predicting spontaneous preterm birth based solely on cervical elasticity data was found to be 95.0% (95% CI, 88.5 - 100.0). Conclusion: These findings suggest that measuring cervical elasticity with the designed tactile ultrasound probe has the potential to predict spontaneous preterm birth in a cost-effective manner.

A Time Series Analysis of Outdoor Air Pollution and Preterm Birth in Shanghai, China

Objective To investigate the relation between air pollution exposure and preterm birth in Shanghai, China. Methods We examined the effect of ambient air pollution on preterm birth using time-series approach in Shanghai in 2004. This method can eliminate potential confounding by individual risk factors that do not change over a short period of time. Daily numbers of preterm births were obtained from the live birth database maintained by Shanghai Municipal Center of Disease Control and Prevention. We used the generalized additive model （GAM） with penalized splines to analyze the relation between preterm birth, air pollution, and covariates. Results We observed a significant effect of outdoor air pollution only with 8-week exposure before preterm births. An increase of 10 μg/m^3 of 8-week average PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3 corresponded to 4.42% （95%CI 1.60%, 7.25%）, 11.89% （95%CI 6.69%, 17.09%）, 5.43% （95%CI 1.78%, 9.08%）, and 4.63% （95%CI 0.35%, 8.91%） increase of preterm birth. We did not find any significant acute effect of outdoor air pollution on preterm birth in the week before birth. Conclusion Ambient air pollution may contribute to the risk of preterm birth in Shanghai. Our analyses also strengthen the rationale for further limiting air pollution level in the city.

Ethnic Differences in Preterm Birth Risks for Pregnant Women with Thyroid Dysfunction or Autoimmunity:A Meta-analysis

Objective Abnormal maternal thyroid function is associated with preterm birth.However,this association stays dubious in relevant individual studies for ethnic difference reasons and lack of direct supporting data.This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between preterm birth and thyroid dysfunction or autoimmunity based on ethnic differences.Methods Relevant studies were identified through searches of MEDLINE,Excerpta Medica,Wan Fang,China Biological Medicine disc,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from inception to June 15,2016.Original articles in which an incidence or prevalence of thyroid dysfunction or autoimmunity before second trimester of pregnancy could be extracted were included.Results Thirty-two unique studies were included for the final meta-analysis.Patients involved were divided into two groups：Group 1（G1） and Group 2（G2） comprising of Asian and Caucasian populations,respectively.Positive thyroid antibodies were associated with the occurrence of preterm birth in both G1 [odds ratio（OR）：3.62,95% confidence interval（CI）：2.83-4.65] and G2（OR：1.35,95% CI：1.17-1.56）;hypothyroidism,only in G2（OR：1.20,CI：1.09-1.33）;and subclinical hypothyroidism or hypothyroxinemia,in neither group.Conclusion Thyroid autoimmunity may be a more favorable factor leading to preterm birth among pregnant women of different ethnicities,compared with thyroid dysfunction.

Risk Factors for Low Birth Weight and Preterm Birth：A Population-based Case-control Study in Wuhan,China

Low birth weight（LBW） and preterm birth（PB） are associated with newborn mortality and diseases in adulthood.We explored factors related to LBW and PB by conducting a population-based case-control study from January 2011 to December 2013 in Wuhan,China.A total of 337 LBW newborn babies,472 PB babies,and 708 babies with normal birth weights and born from term pregnancies were included in this study.Information of newborns and their parents was collected by trained investigators using questionnaires and referring to medical records.Univariate and logistic regression analyses with the stepwise selection method were used to determine the associations of related factors with LBW and PB.Results showed that maternal hypertension（OR=6.78,95% CI：2.27–20.29,P=0.001）,maternal high-risk pregnancy（OR=1.53,95% CI：1.06–2.21,P=0.022）,and maternal fruit intake ≥300 g per day during the first trimester（OR=1.70,95% CI：1.17–2.45,P=0.005） were associated with LBW.BMI ≥24 kg/m^2 of mother prior to delivery（OR=0.48,95% CI：0.32–0.74,P=0.001） and gestation ≥37 weeks（OR=0.01,95% CI：0.00–0.02,P〈0.034） were protective factors for LBW.Maternal hypertension（OR=3.36,95% CI：1.26–8.98,P=0.016）,maternal high-risk pregnancy（OR=4.38,95% CI：3.26–5.88,P〈0.001）,maternal meal intake of only twice per day（OR=1.88,95% CI：1.10–3.20,P=0.021）,and mother liking food with lots of aginomoto and salt（OR=1.60,95% CI：1.02–2.51,P=0.040） were risk factors for PB.BMI ≥24 kg/m^2 of mother prior to delivery（OR=0.66,95% CI：0.47–0.93,P=0.018）,distance of house from road ≥36 meters（OR=0.72,95% CI：0.53– 0.97,P=0.028）,and living in rural area（OR= 0.60,95% CI：0.37–0.99,P=0.047） were protective factors for PB.Our study demonstrated some risk factors and protective factors for LBW and PB,and provided valuable information for the prevention of the conditions among newborns.

Mental health impact on Black,Asian and Minority Ethnic populations with preterm birth:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Preterm birth(PTB)is one of the main causes of neonatal deaths globally,with approximately 15million infants are born preterm.Women from the Black,Asian,and Minority Ethnic(BAME)populations maybe at higher risk of PTB,therefore,the mental health impact on mothers experiencing a PTB is particularly important,within the BAME populations.AIM To determine the prevalence of mental health conditions among BAME women with PTB as well as the methods of mental health assessments used to characterise the mental health outcomes.METHODS A systematic methodology was developed and published as a protocol in PROSPERO(CRD420-20210863).Multiple databases were used to extract relevant data.I2 and Egger's tests were used to detect the heterogeneity and publication bias.A trim and fill method was used to demonstrate the influence of publication bias and the credibility of conclusions.RESULTS Thirty-nine studies met the eligibility criteria from a possible 3526.The prevalence rates of depression among PTB-BAME mothers were significantly higher than full-term mothers with a standardized mean difference of 1.5 and a 95%confidence interval(CI)29%-74%.The subgroup analysis indicated depressive symptoms to be time sensitive.Women within the very PTB category demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of depression than those categorised as non-very PTB.The prevalence rates of anxiety and stress among PTB-BAME mothers were significantly higher than in full-term mothers(odds ratio of 88%and 60%with a CI of 42%-149%and 24%-106%,respectively).CONCLUSION BAME women with PTB suffer with mental health conditions.Many studies did not report on specific mental health outcomes for BAME populations.Therefore,the impact of PTB is not accurately represented in this population,and thus could negatively influence the quality of maternity services they receive.

An implementation study of barriers to universal cervical length screening for preterm birth prevention at tertiary hospitals in Thailand:Healthcare managers’perspectives

Objective:To identify healthcare managers’perspectives on the barriers to implementing cervical length screening to prevent preterm births.Methods:In PhaseⅠ,10 healthcare managers were interviewed.PhaseⅡcomprised questionnaire development and data validation.In PhaseⅢ,the questionnaire was administered to 40 participants,and responses were analyzed.Results:Their average related work experience was(21.0±7.2)years;39(97.5%)respondents also had healthcare management responsibilities at their respective hospitals.Most hospitals were reported to have enough obstetricians(31 cases,77.5%)and to be able to accurately perform cervical length measurements(22 cases,55.0%).However,no funding was allocated to universal cervical length screening(39 cases,97.5%).Most respondents believed that implementing universal screening,as per Ministry of Public Health policies,would prevent preterm births(28 cases,70.0%).Moreover,they suggested that hospital fees for cervical length measurements should be waived(34 cases,85.0%).Three main perceived barriers to universal screening at tertiary hospitals were identified.They were heavy obstetrician workloads(20 cases,50.0%);inadequate numbers of medical personnel(24 cases,60.0%);not believing that the screening test could prevent preterm birth(8 cases,20%)and lack of free drug support for preterm birth prevention in high-risk cases(29 cases,72.5%).Conclusions:The main obstacles to universal cervical length screening are heavy staff workloads and inadequate government funding for ultrasound scanning and hormone therapy.The healthcare managers do not believe that the universal cervical length screening can help to reduce preterm birth.

Socioeconomic, biological and genetic factors influencing preterm birth

The etiology of preterm birth is mostly underestimated in developing countries.Current presumptions are that both environmental and genetic factors contribute towards its onset and are responsible for the higher frequency of neonatal deaths.Despite there being considerable scientific data on preterm births across the world,the frequency of its occurrence and threat to the survival of neonates are alarming.It is important that variations among populations should be considered as the socioeconomic status,climatic zones and other genetic,as well as epidemiological factors vary,so as to draw definitive conclusions on the pathogenesis of preterm birth.Predictive biomarkers,prevention and optimum treatment strategies are still being discovered,but with well-designed studies and collaborative efforts,maternal and child healthcare can be prioritized.The purpose of this review is to understand the contributing factors of preterm birth as it is a critical issue and needs in-depth understanding with planned scientific studies to decrease the rate of preterm birth and complication related to it.Furthermore,the review enlists various factors linked to preterm birth viz.,high maternal age,psychological state,environmental contaminants,infection,cervical length,addiction,cytokine interaction,preeclampsia,genetic composition,ethnicity,oxidative stress and microRNAs.We have summarized the status of preterm birth,its causes,and future line of work required to prevent mortality of mother and neonate that will help us design successful studies which aim to reduce preterm births effectively.

Association between preterm birth risk and polymorphism and expression of the DNA repair genes OGG1 and APE1 in Saudi women

Genomic instability and mutations caused by increases in oxidative stress during pregnancy can damage the fetoplacental unit and can upshot preterm birth.Oxidative damage to DNA may possibly be involved in etiology of preterm birth(PTB)which can be repaired by DNA repair gene.In the present study,we assessed the association of base excision repair gene family by analyzing the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms and genes expression in 8-oxoguanine glycosylase-1(OGG1)and apurinic-apyrimidinic endonuclease 1(APE1)genes with risk of preterm birth in Saudi women.We analyzed genotypes of four single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)(rs1052133,rs293795,rs2072668 and rs2075747)in OGG1 gene and three SNPs(rs1130409,rs3136814,and rs3136817)in APE1 gene using TaqMan Genotyping assay kits in 50 pairs of preterm cases and individually matched controls.Also,gene expression level was explored by RT-PCR in 10 pairs of preterm placental tissues and individually matched normal placental tissues.Two OGG1 SNP,rs1052133(OR=0.497;c2=1.11;p=0.292)and rs2072668(OR=0.408;c2=1.90;p=0.167)and one APE1 SNP rs3136817(OR=0.458;c2=0.40;p=0.527)showed nonsignificant protective effect against PTB development.The expression of both genes under study was found lower in the PTB patients.Genotype and allele frequencies of both gene SNPs did not show any association with the risk of preterm delivery in Saudi women(P˃0.05).However,synthesis and release of OGG1 and APE1 proteins decreased in preterm placental tissues compared to term delivery reflects the probability of being one of the mechanisms leading to preterm birth.

Preterm Birth at the Community University Hospital Center (Central African Republic)

The preterm Birth is the main cause of hospitalizing in the pathologic pregnancy service because of its deadly and morbidity rate observing into new born. The purpose of this Study: The purpose of this study is to study the epidemiology, clinic and prediction of preterm delivery in the Maternity at the community university hospital Center. Methodology: Over a 12 month period, we conducted a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study of preterm delivery cases in the obstetrics and gynecology clinic of the community university hospital Center. The data was collected from the survey records and then analyzed by Epi Info version 3.5.4. Results: The preterm delivery rate related to delivery in the pregnancy pathology department was 17.5%. A high proportion was noticed on patients aged from 20 - 24 years old (28.2%), single (95.8%) and pauciparous (39.5%) were observed. Pelvic pain is the main cause of consultation (100%). 83.1% of the cases were cured by Nifedipine. The higher neonatal mortality is in the pregnancy period less than 30 weeks, with statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Preterm birth is a common disease in the Department. It’s more about young unmarried women. Neonatal mortality is higher Among pregnant women less than 30 weeks of pregnancy.

Human Beta Defensins 1,2 and 3 Produced by Amniochorion Membranes Is Similar in Term and Preterm Delivery

Amniochorion membranes were collected from 25 pregnant women at preterm labor, in the presence or not of Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) and 27 pregnant women at term in the presence at labor, in order to quantify the expression and to evaluate the immunoreactivity of human beta defensins (HBD)1, HBD2, HBD3 and HBD4 in amniochorion membranes from pregnancies complicated by spontaneous prematurity. The HBDs were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, real time quantitative PCR and ELISA. Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-squared and Mann Whitney tests. There was no significant difference in HBDs expression between study and control groups: HBD1 (Md = 0.62 (0.0 - 105.0) vs Md = 0.80 (0.02 - 25.0);p = 0.85), HBD2 (Md = 0.17 (0.0 - 5.2) vs Md = 0.0 (0.0 - 43.2);p = 0.16), HBD3 (Md = 0.11 (0.0 - 140.5) vs Md = 0.06 (0.0 - 972.1);p = 0.91). Also, HBD1, HBD2 and HBD3 protein expression was not significant different between the groups: HBD1 (1.32 pg/mL (0.0 - 1.85) vs 1.08 pg/mL (0.04 - 2.22);p = 0.67), HBD2 (0.00 pg/mL (0.0 - 1.74) vs 0.02 pg/mL (0.0 - 1.24);p = 0.69), HBD3 (0.04 pg/mL (0.0 - 1.05) vs 0.09 pg/mL (0.0 - 1.05);p = 0.63). The immunoreactivity of HBD1, HBD2 and HBD3 was observed in amnion, chorion and decidua cells from preterm and term pregnancies. Amniochorion membranes are sources of HBD1, HBD2 and HBD3 and their expressions are similar in term and preterm pregnancies.

Association between Prenatal Care Utilization and Risk of Preterm Birth among Chinese Women

It is recognized that prenatal care plays an important role in reducing adverse birth. Chinese pregnant women with medical condition were required to seek additional health care based on the recommended at least 5 times health care visits. This study was to estimate the association between prenatal care utilization（PCU） and preterm birth（PTB）, and to investigate if medical conditions during pregnancy modified the association. This population-based case control study sampled women with PTB as cases; one control for each case was randomly selected from women with term births. The Electronic Perinatal Health Care Information System（EPHCIS） and a questionnaire were used for data collection. The PCU was measured by a renewed Prenatal Care Utilization（APNCU） index. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios（OR） and the 95% confidence interval（95% CI）. Totally, 2393 women with PTBs and 4263 women with term births were collected. In this study, 695（10.5%） women experienced inadequate prenatal care, and 5131（77.1%） received adequate plus prenatal care. Inadequate PCU was associated with PTB（adjusted OR： 1.41, 95% CI： 1.32–1.84）; the similar positive association was found between adequate plus PCU and PTB. Among women with medical conditions, these associations still existed; but among women without medical conditions, the association between inadequate PCU and PTB disappeared. Our data suggests that women receiving inappropriate PCU are at an increased risk of having PTB, but it does depend on whether the woman has a medical condition during pregnancy.

Comparison of Perinatal Outcomes in Late Preterm Spontaneous and Indicated Preterm Birth Neonates

Objective: We aimed to compare the perinatal outcomes in late preterm spontaneous and indicated birth neonates. Methods: We studied 289 late preterm births, classified as either aspontaneous late preterm birth (sLPTB) group (preterm labor with intact membranes and preterm premature rupture of membranes) or an indicated late preterm birth (iLPTB) group (hypertensive disorder in pregnancy, placental causes, and maternal diseases), according to the delivery indication. We then compared the maternal and neonatal characteristics and perinatal outcomes, including the Apgar score, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or special care nursery (SCN), duration of NICU stay, and the rate of composite morbidity (antibiotic use, hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, respiratory support, and respiratory distress syndrome). Results: A total of 198 neonates were in the sLPTB group and 91 were in the iLPTB group. In spite of greater gestational age at the time of delivery in the iLPTB group, the mean birth weight was lower than that in the sLPTB group. Additionally, the iLPTB group showed lower Apgar scores, and higher rates of NICU or SCN admission, respiratory support, and hypoglycemia, but there was no difference in the rate of composite morbidity between the two groups. Conclusion: iLPTB neonates had lower birth weights despite greater gestational age than those in the sLPTB group, but there was no difference in the rate of composite morbidity between the two groups.

Correlation between Endocervical Length in the First Trimester and Spontaneous Preterm Delivery

Introduction: Prematurity is a public health problem in Brazil, with 12% of deliveries occurring before 37 weeks of gestation. The measurement of the cervix in the second trimester is already established as a method of screening for prematurity and some studies point out advantages to start this screening in the first trimester. Objective: To define the correlation between the length of the endocervix by transvaginal ultrasound in the first trimester (11 to 14 weeks) with spontaneous early deliveries. Method: A prospective and observational study realized in a suplementar and private ultrasound clinic and hospital of Porto Alegre, Brazil between 2019-2020. Ultrasound screening of cervix was performed in singleton pregnancies in first and second trimester of pregnancy and correlated with age of delivery. Results: 142 pregnant women were studied, 80% were in the first pregnancy. The average age was 33.8 years. The rate of prematurity was 18% before 37 weeks and 4% before 34 weeks. The average of cervix measured in the first and second trimesters in deliveries before 34 weeks was 32.7 mm and 29.3 mm, respectively. In term deliveries the median cervical length was 38.8 mm and 37.8 mm, respectively. When analyzing the measurements of the cervix in the second trimester, the cervix was smaller (p = 0.008) among deliveries below 34 weeks (29 mm) than deliveries after 37 weeks. No statistically related differences were found between preterm birth and first trimester cervix measurements. Conclusions: In this study, we did not observe a statistically significant relationship between first trimester cervix measurement and prematurity. More studies are needed to evaluate this finding. However, the measurement of the cervix in the second trimester is different from that found in the literature. This suggests a possible new cut-off point that increases the sensitivity of transvaginal ultrasound as a method of preventing prematurity.

Risk Factors Associated with Preterm Birth at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in 2015

Background: Preterm birth defined as childbirth occurring at less than 37 completed weeks or 259 days of gestation. The causes of preterm birth are complex and multifactorial, many risk factors that contribute in it. Knowledge of risk factors is crucial for predicting the incidence of preterm births. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with preterm birth at the Hasan Sadikin General Hospital. Method: This study was a cross-sectional analytic using secondary data. Data derived from medical records maternity patients in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hasan Sadikin General Hospital taken in 2015. 1944 patients’ medical records who gave birth met the inclusion criteria. Data analyses used were bivariate (chi square) and multivariate (logistic regression). Result: The result showed that the variables including age (p = 0.043, OR = 1.586), antenatal care (p p p p p p Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between age, antenatal care, preterm birth history birth, anemia, hypertension, and antepartum hemorrhage with preterm birth as risk factors.

Three-dimensional remodeling of collagen fibers within cervical tissues in pregnancy

The cervix is a collagen-rich connective tissue that must remain closed during pregnancy while undergoing progressive remodeling in preparation for delivery,which begins before the onset of the preterm labor process.Therefore,it is important to resolve the changes of collagen flbers during cervical remodeling for the prevention of preterm labor.Herein,we assessed the spatial organization of collagen flbers in a three-dimensional(3D)context within cervical tissues of mice on day 3,9,12,15 and 18 of gestation.We found that the 3D directional variance,a novel metric of alignment,was higher on day 9 than that on day 3 and then gradually decreased from day 9 to day 18.Compared with two-dimensional(2D)approach,a higher sensitivity was achieved from 3D analysis,highlighting the importance of truly 3D quantification.Moreover,the depthdependent variation of 3D directional variance was investigated.By combining multiple 3D directional variance-derived metrics,a high level of classification accuracy was acquired in distinguishing different periods of pregnancy.These results demonstrate that 3D directional variance is sensitive to remodeling of collagen fibers within cervical tissues,shedding new light on highly-sensitive,early detection of preterm birth(PTB).

Outcome of Very Premature Newborns in a Referral Hospital in a Resource-Limited Setting

Background: In Cameroon, prematurity is considered among the first cause of neonatal mortality and the main cause of sequelae in children under 5 years old. Although some local teams have studied the causes of neonatal deaths, the survival of the very preterm babies in our context remains poorly known. Patients and Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study with both a retrospective and prospective data collection, covering a period of 5 years and 8 months, including 120 participants who presented with very preterm birth. Socio-demographic, anamnestic, and outcome features were studied. The assessment of the child’s psychomotor development was evaluated trough gross motor skills, fine motor skills, language and social contact. We calculated the development quotient (DQ) by dividing the developmental age (DA) by the actual age (RA) of the patient. Qualitative variables were expressed as numbers and percentages and quantitative variables as means ± standard deviations. Results: At the clinic, 23.8% of the children developed cerebral palsy, 3.1% had cerebral palsy with mental delay, and 6.6% had praxis disorders. Hearing impairment was observed in 6.3% of the survivors, visual impairment in 9%, and swallowing disorders in 7.6%. The mean developmental quotient was (89.98 ± 19.7) with a median of 93. A delay in developmental milestones was observed in 10.8%, speech disorder in 57%, severe malnutrition in 7.7%. The mortality rate was 48.5%. Conclusion: Very preterm birth is associated with a higher risk of neonatal death. Cognitive and motor disorders should not be underestimated. The harmonised management of very premature babies is highly recommended in our context for early diagnosis of sequelae.

New therapeutic target NCF1-directed multi-bioactive conjugate therapies prevent preterm birth and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Preterm birth(PTB)is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide,yet the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving this condition remain undeciphered,thus limiting discovery of new therapies.In-depth analyses of human and mouse tissues associated with PTB,in combination with cellular studies,indicated that aberrantly high-expressed neutrophil cytoplasmic factor(NCF)1 leads to oxidative distress,recruitment,and pro-inflammatory activation of neutrophils and macrophages,while sequentially overexpressed pro-inflammatory mediators induce contractions of uterine smooth muscle cells(USMCs)as well as apoptosis of USMCs and amniotic epithelial cells,thereby causing PTB.According to these new findings,we rationally engineered an amphiphilic macromolecular conjugate LPA by covalently integrating low-molecular-weight heparin,a reactive oxygen species-responsive/scavenging component,and an anti-inflammatory peptide.This bioengineered macromolecular conjugate can selfassemble into multi-bioactive nanoparticles(LPA NP).In a mouse model of PTB,LPA NP effectively delayed PTB and inhibited adverse pregnancy outcomes,by regulating NCF1-mediated oxidativeinflammatory cascades,i.e.,attenuating oxidative stress,inhibiting inflammatory cell activation,reducing local inflammation,and decreasing contraction/apoptosis of myometrial cells.Packaging LPA NP into temperature-responsive,self-healing,and bioadhesive hydrogel further potentiated its in vivo efficacies after intravaginal delivery,by prolonging retention time,sustaining nanotherapy release,and increasing bioavailability in the placenta/uterus.Importantly,both the conjugate/nanotherapy and hydrogel formulations exhibited excellent safety profiles in pregnant mice,with negligible side effects on the mother and offspring.

Deep Learning in Predicting Preterm Birth:A Comparative Study of Machine Learning Algorithms

Objective:To determine whether deep learning algorithms are suitable for predicting preterm birth.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted at Peking University Third Hospital from January 2018 to June 2023.Birth data were divided into two parts based on the date of delivery:the first part was used for model training and validation,while real world viability was evaluated using the second part.Four machine learning algorithms(logistic regression,random forest,support vector machine,and transformer)were employed to predict preterm birth.Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted,and the area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value(PPV),negative predictive value(NPV),and accuracy were calculated.Results:This research included data on 30,965 births,where 24,770 comprised the first part,and included 3164(12.77%)in the preterm birth group,with 6195 in the second part,including 795(12.83%)in the preterm birth group.Significant differences in various factors were observed between the preterm and full-term birth groups.The transformer model(AUC=79.20%,sensitivity=73.67%,specificity=72.48%,PPV=28.21%,NPV=94.95%,and accuracy=72.61%in the test dataset)demonstrated superior performance relative to logistic regression(AUC=77.96%in the test dataset),support vectormachine(AUC=71.70%in the test dataset),and random forest(AUC=75.09%in the test dataset)approaches.Conclusion:This study highlights the promise of deep learning algorithms,specifically the transformer algorithm,for predicting pretermbirth.